Shakespeare derived the theme of this play from the Italian writer Boccaccio, who wrote the story "The Decameron," and based it on the style of the book "One Thousand and One Nights," and made it into anecdotes that were told successively, day after day. On the third day, the author tells the ninth story, and in its generality and essence it is almost similar to Shakespeare''s play.The poet quoted it from a translation of Boccaccio, published by William Painter in 1566, along with other stories, and titled it "The Palace of Pleasures."